Remembering George McGovern and His Visit to Campus (New York Times)

(L. to r.) Gordon Weil '58, Sen. George McGovern and Special Collections & Archives Director Richard Lindemann in the Special Collections reading room, Hawthorne-Longfellow Library, during a visit in 2009.

Former U.S. Sen. George McGovern, D-S.D., died Sunday in Sioux Falls, S.D., at the age of 90. Sen. McGovern visited campus July 22, 2009, stopping at the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives to view the papers of Gordon Lee Weil ’58, executive assistant to the senator during his unsuccessful 1972 presidential campaign and author of The Long Shot: George McGovern Runs for President (1973).

Also on display for his review were correspondence between McGovern and Sen. George Mitchell ’54, and a hand-print of Abraham Lincoln, the subject of McGovern’s biography.

McGovern was a decorated World War II B-24 bomber pilot, but became known for his opposition to the Vietnam War. His wartime story is at the center of The Wild Blue, Stephen Ambrose’s profile of the men who flew B-24s over Germany in World War II. McGovern served two terms in the U.S. House and three terms in the Senate.

McGovern also served as worldwide director of the Food for Peace program and United Nations ambassador on world hunger.

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